Ban stock trading by Congress to restore public trust

I write to urge your support for the bipartisan ETHICS Act, which would ban members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from trading individual stocks. This measure is long overdue and crucial for restoring public trust in our elected officials. The current rules around stock trading by lawmakers are clearly insufficient. While the STOCK Act of 2012 requires disclosure of trades over $1,000, it is poorly enforced and does little to prevent conflicts of interest. Polling shows a vast majority of Americans (85%) want a complete ban on congressional stock trading due to concerns about insider information and self-enrichment. The new ETHICS Act takes a straightforward approach - prohibiting all lawmakers from buying or selling individual stocks starting immediately, with existing holdings to be divested into mutual funds by 2027. It includes tough penalties for violations, fining the greater of a month's salary or 10% of an asset's value for each infraction. Critics rightly argue that Congress should not be a place to get rich from investments potentially informed by privileged information. Restoring faith that legislators work solely for the public good, not personal profit, is paramount. I strongly encourage you to cosponsor and vote for this common-sense, ethical reform to stop stock trading by members of Congress.